DISCLAIMER: Don't Own it. No Money Made... Just for fun and enjoyment.
A/N: Here's a chance for every one to catch their breath.
REVIEWS: Thanks to all who have reviewed. I was really worried about that last chapter, but your responses made waking up a great thing today. And just as an FYI, it took me 5 DAYS to write that chapter... I usually knock out one or two a day, so that was a real struggle. I am thrilled that all that work paid off.
And for those looking for something a little steamier... One of my betas has talked me into doing a missing scene one shot, so stay tuned.
Chapter 45
With their feet propped up on the rustic kitchen table, Catherine and Stephanie both looked like that had just finished a double shift. The only evidence that this was a good thing was the smiles on their faces, as they sipped their coffee, and surveyed the room around them. Catherine inhaled sharply, and blew out the air in a rapid blast, "Man! That was one hell of a party there, kid."
Stephanie nodded her head in an exaggerated gesture, "Yes indeedy… That went very well."
Their solitude was interrupted by the arrival of a very tall, very well-built and very handsome young doctor. He leaned over and kissed Stephanie on the cheek before he proceeded to the refrigerator, took out a bottle of water and then turned around to lean on the closed door. "Last of the trash is in the bin… Carter is passed out in the study… Your mother went to bed about an hour ago. She was wiped!" He took a big swig from the bottle of water before he continued, "And I am next to fall." He walked back to his fiancé, leaned over her head and kissed her lips while suspended upside down, "Goodnight, baby." As he walked passed Catherine he laid a hand on her shoulder and then made a joke on his way out the room, "Goodnight, Aunt Catherine."
Catherine made her surprised and indignant face with her mouth hung wide open, but a hint of a smile still there, "Uh! He is so going to pay for that one."
Stephanie just shook her head, which was still lying against the back of the chair, "Nah… I'll fix him later, besides, you might as well get used to it. I think it's gonna stick."
She chuckled at the thought of Catherine being in the same position as Gil, but as humorous as Catherine's reaction had been when she and Thomas had made the joke earlier, she had to admit there was a little truth in it. She really did feel that Catherine had become a very real part of their little family over the last few weeks. It probably did not hurt that she had spent a good portion of her life hearing stories about Catherine from her uncle. It gave her a head start on feeling familiar around her, and since Catherine was also the first person to figure out who she was, there had been that comfort level for much longer than anyone else.
Stephanie also felt an immediate connection to Catherine, and when both parents are orphans, a person misses out on things like aunts and uncles, so Stephanie had always been forced to look to others to fill that void. It was just that, until she came to Las Vegas, no other woman had held their own with her parents, or in Stephanie's eyes. Catherine fit that bill to the tee. She was smart, brassy and full of confidence, and Stephanie also admired her ability to lead with subtlety. Stephanie was hoping to learn a little of that talent from the woman, because subtlety had never been one of her strong suits. She was about as blunt as a Castro District drag queen, so she could use a little help in that area.
CSI GSR CSI GSR CSI GSR CSI
Catherine noticed the far away look in the younger woman's eyes, and smiled a little to herself. She missed the days when she could look to the future, but her life had taught her to be more concerned with tomorrow and not next year. She also silently acknowledged that she was touched by Stephanie's and Thomas' inclusion into their little family unit.
Though Catherine was finally getting a glimpse of family life in her own home, she was actually enjoying being part of this one as well. Stephanie's mother was a classy and intelligent lady, and she enjoyed the time they spent together over their week of planning and plotting.
She felt close to Stephanie, in a way she had not felt to another woman in a very long time, and she genuinely liked the kid. She was open and honest, and always looking out for those she held dear. And the fact that Catherine had finally seen inside the carefully protected world of Gil Grissom was another bonus.
She had always wondered if he kept the best parts of his life hidden away from everyone else, and now she knew. He was just afraid of people knowing too much about him, because of the power it gave them. Stephanie, who probably knew more about him than anyone in the world, was still kept in the dark about other aspects of his life, but she held a tremendous power over him because of her knowledge. She had witnessed that power, and she had been surprised by the person it brought out in Gil. Her only hope now, was that this weekend killed "Grissom the Enigma" forever. That guy needed to be put out of his misery a long time ago.
The smirk that curled up the corner of her mouth as she had that thought did not go unnoticed, "So, what're you thinking right now?"
A light went off in Catherine's mind, a devilish and delightful light, "I was just thinking… I need my car this weekend." Her eyebrow cocked with the statement and caused Stephanie to lean forward again, as she held her side and laughed.
"Oh my God! You really are bad!" The two women chuckled and sipped at their coffee a moment longer, before Stephanie rose from her seat and reached for her keys hanging on the wall. "Ready?"
The impish glint in her eyes was too much for Catherine, and she laughed again, "I'M bad?" But that did not stop Catherine from standing up and walking to the hall closet to retrieve her jacket and purse. "Let's go!"
Both women practically ran to the garage and hopped into the Thing. It was a typically cool Vegas night, but they opted to make the quick trek over to Gil's house with the top down. They looked at each in the car, and were simply unable to keep the joke from coming back, "Are you sure?" Stephanie asked her with a wink.
Catherine caught her cue and nodded, "Hit it." Stephanie dropped it into gear and tore (carefully) out of the garage, both of them laughing their heads off as they left.
Their Grand Canyon was, in fact, the five blocks it took to get to Gil's townhouse on the other side of the development. The two women speculated about what they were going to do once they got there, but in the end they found no lights on in the house, so they just quietly made their way to Catherine's car.
Catherine got out of the Thing, and she and Stephanie were about to say their parting goodbyes, when Stephanie's face scrunched up into a questioning expression. Catherine asked her what the problem was, "What is it?"
Stephanie held up a pointed finger and Catherine followed it to a strange object laying on the step outside of Gil's townhouse. Her curiosity proved too great, so she walked over to the object, knelt down to pick it up, and then held it out for a closer examination.
Calling out to her with an exaggerated whisper, Stephanie's curiosity had also been piqued, "What is it?"
She walked slowly back to the car to show Stephanie exactly what she held in her hands; a woman's shawl that happened to match exactly to what Sara had been wearing earlier that evening. They both were looking at the item with a sense of awe and wonder. Catherine was the first to break their amazed silence, "You don't think-…" She looked back at the darkened townhouse. "I mean, you really think-…" She left the thought hanging in the air unspoken.
Stephanie started to smile and nodded her head, "Go, Uncle Gil."
